Prevalence and characterization by latent class analysis of children with parental type 2-diabetes

Children of parents with type 2-diabetes have a fourfold risk of developing the condition. Family-based interventions can mitigate the risk, but identifying which families benefit is challenging. This study describes the prevalence and characteristics of children with parental type 2-diabetes to improve targeting.

This cross-sectional study uses data from Danish national registers. Latent class analysis classified families based on demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors.

We included 1,136,988 children and their parents. 40,442 children had a parent with type 2-diabetes. Children with parental type 2-diabetes were older, had more socioeconomic risk factors, and higher psychiatric healthcare usage. The parents had higher health service usage. We identified four latent classes in ages 0-2, 3-5, 6-11 years, and a fifth class for ages 12-17. "Class 1: Multiple risk factors", "Class 2: Advanced paternal age", "Class 3: High maternal and child healthcare use", "Class 4: Few risk factors", and "Class 5: High paternal healthcare use." Class 1 had the highest prevalence of parental type 2-diabetes, and Class 4 had the lowest prevalence.

This study identifies five classes of families with varying prevalence of parental type 2-diabetes. It adds to our understanding of subgroups and may help target family-oriented interventions.